Gas springs are well known and have been used in dies of presses for sheet metal stamping operations. For example, gas springs can be used as press cushions, among many other types of applications. Conventional gas springs have a gas chamber which receives a pressurized gas (typically nitrogen at a pressure of 1,500 to 3,000 PSI) that provides a force on a piston and a solid piston rod which carries the piston to bias them to an extended position. The pressurized gas resists the movement of the piston and the piston rod from their extended position to a retracted position. Various housings and seals are provided in the gas spring to retain the piston and piston rod within a casing of the gas spring and to prevent leakage of the pressurized gas from the gas chamber.